VIACOM Employees Set to Mentor Through Get Connected

Since the partnership was announced during a White House event celebrating National Mentoring Month last January, Viacom has worked with counsel from MENTOR to put a quality mentoring program into place with the Youth Mentoring Connection in Los Angeles (kicking off this month) and College Bound in Washington, D.C. (kicking off in October). At the end of last year, Viacom worked with the New York City Department of Education to establish a partnership with Long Island City High School.

Viacom employees in New York, including the company's President and CEO Philippe Dauman, have volunteered to be mentors and will begin training this month for Get Connected, which will focus on providing students with guidance and support in the areas of education, day-to-day living and career options.

Two events have already happened with Long Island City High School in New York. The first was the popular Speed Careering session, during which employees from Viacom and its divisions led "speed rounds" with students to give an overview of their jobs and field questions. The second event was the enlightening first Guest Lecture with Thembisa Mshaka, award-winning producer for BET Network's Creative Services Department, who spoke about the importance of education, hard work and determination in making dreams come true.

Last year, Viacom successfully launched a multiyear initiative in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation called Get Schooled, which is addressing the challenges facing America's public schools. Get Connected: Be a Mentor, Change a Life provides an opportunity for Viacom employees to become engaged in this critical work.

Viacom is the world's leading entertainment content company, and it engages audiences on television, motion picture and digital platforms through many of the world's best known entertainment brands, including MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike TV, BET and Paramount Pictures. Viacom's global reach includes approximately 170 channels and 500 online properties in more than 160 countries and territories.